Work week following surgery

Start my days with tylenol and a careful shower avoiding getting the surgery site wet, then get to wear pajama pants to work because they are the most loose thing I own. keep stretching off and on at work, and be sure to hobble around a bit. Over the week my gate has gotten a bit back to normal, but I do feel this tightness in the area, but I can't determine if it's nerve damage, or actual tightness. As of today I'm actually walking pretty normal but there is still some pain and what seems to be weakness. Otherwise this is the best day of walking I've had post surgery. Progress :/

More appointments to come up at the SCCA. I'm researching options to get an experimental drug called Yondelis...

Read This

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36182363/ns/health-cancer/from/ET

Courtesy of Amber, Thanks you!!! ;)

Get back to normality

I try to stand and walk all day in order to keep blood flowing and hopefully not develop too much tightness at the surgery site. I do some chores, mild stretching, walking around most of the day. Have a couple visitors but otherwise just mill about with chores. I can't afford not to work, so I prep for that.

Freedom

I get the go ahead to be released today. The surgeon comes to see me, says he got what he thinks are clean margins, but it was around the vein and some nerves, so very difficult to cut away. We talked a bit about next steps but he just wants me to wait and talk with the whole team...

They look at the bandaged area, but it's this thick foam bandage so can't see anything. The residents came back late to take out the drain. It's an extremely weird feeling as they pull out the drain form this hole they put in me, above the incision. It's out and they bandage me up fresh. The incision looks great, they say. Probably the most painful part was when they pulled off that foam tape...I swear it sticks to everything, VERY well; I'm still sore in places from that tape. Later the nurse takes out my IV and I'm free to go. My ride arrives and we head back home. The drive back is uneventful, but we stop a few times so I can walk it out, and we keep heading east. Stop in Yakima for a Miner's burger and get home about an hour later. I keep resting.

Another day in hospital

They decide they want to keep me until I'm draining less the 30 ml of fluid into the drainage resevior, and I look and don't think I am anyway so am pushing to get out as soon as possible. That doesn't look like it'll happen today. I mostly hang out, do a couple laps trying to walk, take my pills, take my tylenol, and am frustrated because they want me another day, but also because I was hoping for an outpatient procedure... The day is uneventful and mostly just filled with walking and resting.

A Physical Therapist is sent in, but as they were told by the nurses, I'd been walking so didn't think I needed it. I ate leftover pizza and drink lots of water and keep resting.

Surgery Day

I drove up last night and stayed at the new SCCA House, a facility for patients of the SCCA, relatively inexpensive, very nice, and extremely sterile. It's set up so that people can have long-term rentals there, so the room was HUGE! Good parking too!

I went to bed late, after a shower with hibicleanse, then got up early and showered gain with hibicleanse. Then drove to the UW medical center and checked into my appointment. My surgery was only the second on the day, so it was early, but also mostly on time...perhaps.

I think it was about an hour lately really, but concidering some of my previous wait times that was decent. They called me back, had me change into a gown, the "bear hugger", and begin putting in IV's, asking questions, confirming ID, etc etc. Kind of nice getting all that attention. I told the anesthesiologist that I thought I was over sedated last time and that it was at UW, so they could make a better dosage. Then the surgeons' resident came in and asked more questions and confirmed the site of the surgery and signed the location. The surgery before mine was running a bit late, so I got to wait there a bit...

The anesthesiologist wheeled me into the surgery room where a nurse and more residents were prepping the room, where they had my CT/PET/MRI images up on screen. I transffered from the gurney to the OR table and just laid there while they continued to prep and wait for the surgeon. The anesthesiologist gave me a dose of "2 beers in one shot," as she called it, and I made jokes as if I was at a bar. Then I kind of dosed, but woke up a bit and they still hadn't started, but they got news that it would be starting soon and that the surgeon was on his way. I know I got another shot of the "2 beers" and I think I got a mask of oxygen, but after that I was out...

Couple hours later, they wake me, I'm in recovery and I make a couple drugged up calls. Fun for everyone, right?!?!?! Then I remember them wheeling me out....then I remember waking up in my old room on the 6th floor. I am given a PCA of morphine, but after 2 shots of that I quit because I'm convinced it's giving me a headache; I ask for tylenol. The nurse wants me to breathe deep and I tell them I want to walk. There is a lot of commotion as they urge me to get up and walk, and they really wanted me to move to a chair in the room. The wound has a drainage, so that's attached and I have to clip it to my gown and try not to pull it out. With some effort I stand up, make some movements to a chair, then sit down. I'm sitting there, drinking water, and for the first time after anesthesia get sick and vomit. I feel better and decide I want to change.

I make my way, hobbling, to the linen closet and get a new gown on. I then hobble back to the room and just relax. I got up and walked around a couple times, but most of the day was spent in bed. Many of the nurses seem to remember me(good/bad sign), and are pleasant. I make a trip to the 'kitchen' for goodies, then order pizza delivered really late. It's really good and I got to sleep full.